Celebrities get caught in scandalous moments, and the country music industry is no exception. Do you remember these scandals involving country artists?
As with any famous celebrity, scandals frequently come up and the public is quick to pick them apart. The country music industry has had their fair share of scandals. Many happened in the classical or traditional era of country music. Do you remember all of these crazy stories?
- Reba McEntire‘s daring red dress. She was performing “Does He Love You” with Linda Davis when she wore her daring red dress. “It was very revealing, and I didn’t know that!” she recalled to People. “When I put it on in the dressing room at the Grand Ole Opry for the show, I thought, ‘Maybe it’s just the lighting in here.’ And when I walked out on the stage, I heard the audience go ‘Oooh!’ And I thought, ‘Dang, I look good!'”
- Patsy Cline‘s marriage to her second husband. When Cline married her second husband, Charlie Dick, it came with controversy. There was a rumor that she had an affair with him while she was still married to her first husband.
photo: Twitter - Loretta Lynn‘s song about divorce and birth control. Loretta Lynn produced quite a few controversial songs throughout her career. One of them was titled “The Pill,” and many radio stations banned it from being played. Her song “Rated X” also caused controversy because of the way it talked about the stigma of divorced women.
- Tanya Tucker‘s sexy hit “Would You Lay With Me (In a Field of Stone).” Not only was she only 15 years old at the time this song was released, but it implied premarital relations, causing controversy.
- Waylon Jennings was arrested for possession of cocaine. In 1977, the DEA searched Jennings’ recording studio and eventually arrested him for the possession of cocaine. He later wrote a song about the incident titled “Don’t You Think This Outlaw Bit’s Done Got Out Of Hand.”
- Charlie Rich burned the 1975 CMA Entertainer of the Year ballot card. When John Denver won CMA Entertainer of the Year in 1975, Charlie Rich burned the ballot card! Despite popular belief, he didn’t do it out of spite for Denver. He actually thought it would be funny. Plus, he had poor judgment due to a mix of pain medication from breaking his foot and alcohol.
- This country music cowboy risked controversy when he was asked to perform with a pre-recorded track at the ACM Awards. Thanks to his quick-thinking, Alan Jackson protested by having his drummer perform without sticks. It showed the audience that the music was not authentic, and they caught on to Jackson’s clever performance. Pay attention to the drummer in the background of this video:
- This country outlaw shot another man in the face. Billy Joe Shaver claims he acted in self-defense when he shot another man in the face outside of a tavern in 2007. In this photo, he walks with Willie Nelson after he was found not guilty.
photo: Rolling Stone
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